1870. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



283 



Norway Oats. The package I send you is 

 of a second crop from seed obtained of D. W. 

 Ramsdell. In the spring of 1868, five bushels 

 of seed were bought and divided in this neigh- 

 borhood. The best yield was from one bushel 

 sown by S. B. Brewster, whose crop was fifty 

 bushels. These were mostly sold at from 

 $2.50 to $3 00 per bushel. Jn 1869 the 

 yield was good, but not as high as 100 bushels 

 per acre in more than one instance. Several 

 men had each from 200 to 300 bushels. These 

 were sold to Ramsdell & Co. for one dollar 

 per bushel. One or two carloads have been 

 shipped from this county during the past 

 winter, but most of the lots in this town have 

 not yet been called for, and are held with 

 some uneasiness by the farmers who are anx- 

 ious for their money. Some lots can be 

 bought at a trifling discount. In most cases 

 these oats have fulfilled the reasonable expec- 

 tations of the growers, in heavy growth, free- 

 dom from lodging, and good yield of grain, 

 weighing from thirty to thirty-seven pounds to 

 the measured bushel. 



Arnautka Spring Wheat, is a heavily 

 bearded variety, with short, plump heads ; 

 the grain is light colored and very flinty. 

 I raised nearly three bushels, and have 

 sold three pecks at $1.00 a peck. I have 

 had no experience with the flour from this 

 wheat, but some fears are expressed that the 

 bran will break so fine as to mingle with and 

 darken the flour. 



The Saxonian Barley, a two-rowed variety 

 from Hamburg, is very productive. I have 

 about two and a half bushels. Sowed three 

 packages of seed. 



Preserved Crab Apples. 



I send specimens of preserved fruits put up 

 last fall. The crab apples are of the "Queen's 

 Choice" variety. They are not as large as 

 some others. My fruit is about one and a 

 half inches in diameter ; large enough to pare 

 for pies or to eat — for which purposes they 

 are very good. We like them best preserved. 

 Make a syrup of sugar and water, one-half 

 pound sugar to a pound of fruit, and boil the 

 fruit in this syrup about ten minutes. Some 

 American Fruit Preserving Powder was also 

 used. The apples retain their shape and are 

 considered very palatable. The crab apple 

 has been sold all through the northern part of 

 Vermont, of many varieties, — some larger and 

 some smaller than those I raise. They are 

 also recommended for cider. The trees bear 

 every year, and are very ornamental as well 

 as useful. 



The Black Naples Currant. 



While growing, these currants have an un- 

 pleasant muskiness that excites at first a pre- 

 judice against them. We make a preserve 

 with one pound of sugar to one pound of 

 fruit, cooked together. This preserve has a 

 peculiar richness of flavor that commends it- 

 self to the taste as one becomes accustomed 

 to it. 



As most of the apple orchards of native 

 trees died out a few years ago, and common 

 apples that used to sell at twenty-five cents 

 per bushel, are now sold at one dollar or 

 more, the farmers very generally look to 

 other sections of the country for their fruit. 

 But more recently a nursery has been grow- 

 ing up in our midst, where, by careful expe- 

 riments, the hardy sorts of fruit are tested 

 and selected for propagation and sale, and 

 the prospect is that Northern Vermont will 

 raise enough apples for home consumption, 

 and a pains-taking man may have a pear tree 

 or grape vine, yielding its regular crop. 



Irashurg, Vt., April, 1870. z. e. j. 



Remarks. — Our attentive correspondent 

 will accept thanks for his many favors. 



MAKING SOAP. 



Every farmer's wife is proud of a good bar- 

 rel of soap, but some are so unfortunate as to 

 seldom get one. They try hard enough, but 

 the ashes are sometimes poor, or the right 

 proportions of lye and grease are not used ; 

 at other times the soap appears to be good 

 when put up, but changes entirely after stand- 

 ing a few days. The last trouble usually 

 arises from getting the soap too strong and 

 diluting with water. If very strong, it will be 

 thin and dark, and by adding cold water and 

 thoroughly stirring, the color is changed many 

 shades lighter, and the mass thickened, giving 

 it the appearance of a number one article, 

 when in reality it is very poor. 



Hickory ashes are the best for soap making, 

 but those from sound beech, maple, or almost 

 any kind of hard wood, save oak, will answer 

 well. A common barrel set upon an inclined 

 platform, makes a very good leach, but I 

 much prefer one made of boards set in^ trough 

 in V shape, for the strength of the ashes is 

 better obtained, and it may be taken to pieces 

 when not in use, and laid up. 



First, in the bottom of the leach put a few 

 sticks ; over these spread a piece of carpet or 

 woolen cloth, which is much better than straw ; 

 put on a few inches of ashes, and from four to 

 eight quarts of lime; fill with ashes, moist- 

 ened, and tamp down well— tamp the firmest 

 in the centre. It is diflicult to obtain the full 

 strength of ashes in a barrel without removing 

 them after a day's leaching, and mixing them 

 up and replacing. The top should be firist 

 thrown off, and new ashes added to make up 

 the proper quantity. Use boiling water for 

 second leaching. 



Take about four gallons of lye, and boil up 

 thoroughly with this twelve pounds of clear 

 grease, then add the lye as it is obtained, 

 keeping a slow fire and stirring often, until 

 you have a barrel of soap. Afcer boiling the 

 grease and four gallons of lye together, it 

 may be put in a barrel and the lye added 

 there, which will form good soap if frequently 



